Few People Know One Of Tennessee's Most Popular Swimming Holes Is Hiding A Dark Secret
By Chris Dodge|Updated on May 26, 2023(Originally published May 21, 2023)
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Chris Dodge
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My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
Up in East Tennessee, we are blessed with one of the most beautiful lakes in the whole county. Of course, we are partial to it because we get to call it our own here in our amazing state. Taking out a boat or swimming in the calming waters of Watauga Lake is a perfect way of spending any day, but few people know about the story of a ghost town in Butler, Tennessee. Many people will flock to a day at the lake unbeknownst to them what lies under the blue water. This swimming hole in Tennessee, certainly has a darker side, a story about the town that wouldn’t drown.
Many people will spend a hot summer day dipping in the water or floating in boats on top of the beautiful Watauga Lake. The clear and shimmering water is inviting and well worth enjoying.
After all, who could blame them? The tempting water beckons and entices those who would tread the waters where this tragic story once took place.
I have spent countless summer nights watching the sunset over the mountains behind the lake. We have spent long hours watching with great anticipation for the sky to change into a brilliant display of colors. I have to admit it is one of the most peaceful scenes found here in Tennessee. Taking in the changing hues on the shore as the sun dips behind the Cherokee Mountains may be a peaceful way to end the day. But underneath that shimmering water lies a whole town that met a watery grave.
...The town of Butler was prone to flooding from the Watauga River. It became a way of life for the small town made up of about 650 families. In 1940 there was a massive flood that took the lives of six residents and caused significant structural damage. People started searching for a way around these continuous tragedies. Something needed to be done, and so work on a dam began in 1942.
The world went to war shortly after that and effectively halted the work being done. The dam took a backseat to the pressing matters happening overseas. Meanwhile, our country was busy and working hard for the war effort. Right here on Tennessee soil, hidden beneath the ground was the secret city of Oak Ridge and that is where components for the atom bombs were made that were eventually dropped in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
However, once the war was over, work continued on the dam. Plans to relocate the town were put into action, with nearby land sanctioned to become the new Butler.
Butler was a thriving town with everything you would expect from a community.
Drug stores, churches, gas stations, and offices all made up the structure of this little town, and most of it was planned to be underwater once the work was completed. Crews uprooted many homes and hauled them to the new community.
The dam was finished and the water came rushing in to fill the valley below. What was lost 140 feet underwater was the town of Butler. Now the new community kept the same name and is affectionately called “the town that wouldn't drown”.
Did you know about the ghost town in Butler, Tennessee? Now any day spent at the lake will come with the nagging thought of the lost town buried in a watery grave. It’s eerie to think of what may be swimming in the dark depths of the unseen waters.
However dark the story may seem, Watauga Lake is still a peaceful and beautiful body of water you will want to spend the whole day at. Even with the tragic tale of what happened in the past this still remains as one popular swimming hole in Tennessee. Check out this video from Adventuring in the Moment showcasing just how beautiful Watauga Lake really is.
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Swimming Holes In Tennessee
Chris Dodge|May 26, 2023
What are the best swimming holes in Tennessee?
The best swimming holes that are fairly close to Watauga Lake in Tennessee are:
